Nursing unit



Jan. 9, 1968 SOTO 3,362,555

NURSING UNIT Filed June 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n I INVENTOR: IO RICARDOHURTADO SOTO BY Agni; d a v 4,

ATT'YS Jan. 9, 1968 R. H. SOTO 3,352,555

NNNNNNNNN IT I Hi l"- v d file m Wag g in T' United States Patent Ofiice 3,362,555 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 3,362,555 NURSING UNIT Ricardo Hurtado Soto, Suba-Bogota, Colombia, assignor to Lacto-Seal, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 22, 1965, Ser. No. 465,961 6 Claims. (Cl. 215-11) This invention relates to a nursing unit, and more particularly to a convertible nursing unit which may be used with or without a disposable liner.

Nursing units having disposable liners have heretofore been proposed, and units of this general type are being sold commercially in the United States. However, no units have heretofore been provided which are adapted for use with a regular nursing bottle and either with or without a disposable liner.

During the development of the present invention, it was found to be extremely difficult to adapt a disposable liner for use with a conventional nursing unit, which consists of a glass, heat-sterilizable bottle, and a rubber nipple which is received on the neck of the bottle. If the upper portion of the liner is supported on the neck of the bottle with the collar or skirt portion of the nipple extending thereover, it is very difficult to avoid a serious leakage problem. Fairly good results can be obtained where the plastic liner has a smaller diameter than the exterior of the bottle neck, and a special tool is employed to expand the upper portion of the liner and fold it down smoothly over the neck of the bottle. However, the requirement of a special tool to form the assembly increases the cost and inconvenience to the user.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide a nursing unit which substantially overcomes the above-described problems and difiiculties. More specifically, it is an object to provide a nursing unit employing an ordinary reusable bottle either with or without a disposable 1iner, and including means for forming a liquid-retaining seal between the upper portion of the liner and the nipple and bottle neck assembly without requiring the use of special tools. Further objects and advantages will be indicated in the following detailed specification.

This invention is shown in illustrative embodiments in the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a partially assembled nursing unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, an essential step in the assembly being illustrated;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational View, partly in section, of the upper portion of the nursing unit of FIG. 1, showing the next stage in the assembly procedure;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the final stage in the assembly procedure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the retaining and sealing ring employed in the nursing unit of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 but showing a modification of the construction of the nursing unit;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a retaining and sealing ring similar to the ring of FIG. 4 but illustrating a modified construction;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modified sealing and retaining ring;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a disposable liner which may be employed in the nursing unit of this invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the disposable liner of FIG. 8 as the liner would appear just prior to being inserted in the bottle.

Looking first at FIG. 3, there is shown a nursing unit which includes a bottle 10, a disposable liner 11, a nipple 12 providing a mounting collar 13, and a retaining and sealing ring 14.

The bottle 10 is preferably of the heat-sterilizable, reusable type, such as those conventionally employed as nursing bottles. Typically, bottle 10 is formed of heatresistant glass such as Pyrex. Bottle 10 is liquid-retaining, and may be employed either with or without the disposable liner 11. The bottle includes a neck 10a, which has an open top or mouth. The outside of neck 10a may be adapted to receive and retain a mounting collar for a nipple, such as the integral nipple skirt portion 13. For this purpose, the exterior of neck 10a may be provided with beads or threads, such as the annular, outwardlyprojecting beads 19b and 100. For cooperation therewith, the inner wall of the skirt or collar 13 may be provided with inwardly-extending annular ribs, such as the ribs 13a and 13b. Also, if desired, the outer portion of the collar 13 may be provided with vertically spaced annular recesses 13c and 13a, which in effect provide a roughened outer surface with outwardly-extending rib members between the recesses and on each side thereof. The recessing of the outer surface of skirt 13 will provide an improved gripping surface.

The nipple 12 provides the usual nursing portion 15 having a slit or opening 16 in the outer end thereof. Since nipples of this general type and construction are well known in the art, it is not believed that it will be necessary to further describe them herein. A nipple substantially identical to the one shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is described more fully in copending application Ser. No. 306,762, filed Sept. 5, 1963 and now Patent -No. 3,272,202 for Sanitary Cover for Nursing Nipple. The nursing unit of this invention is particularly adapted for use with the sanitary cover described in said application, Ser. No. 306,762. However, the nursing unit of this invention may also be employed without a sanitary cover.

In the illustration given, the retaining and sealing ring 14, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a cylindrical side wall 14a which extends around the outside of collar 13. Integrally connected to the lower end of wall 14a is an inwardly-extending annular flange 14b, which extends inwardly to engage the outside of neck 10a. A grip-ping and reinforcing rib 140 is provided on the outside of the top portion of Wall 14a. Ring 14 may advantageously be formed of an elastic material, such as natural or synthetic rubber. To facilitate the assembly of the nursing unit, ring 14 should be stretchable for insertion over the neck of the bottle, and it also should be reversible, as will subsequently be described in greater detail. The ring 14 is shown in FIG. 4 as it would appear when removed from the bottle, and in FIG. 2 in reversed condition. Preferably, ring 14 is capable of withstanding heat sterilizations. Typically, it will be formed of the same type of rubber as the nipple 12.

An asembly procedure which may be used with the nursing unit of this invention will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In FIG. 1, liner 11 is shown received within the bottle 10. To provide for expansion of the liner when it is filled with the liquid baby formula, the lower portion of the liner may be turned upwardly for the insertion of the liner in the bottle. When fully inserted, the upper portion 11a of the liner will extend outwardly beyond neck 10a. The liner extension 11a is then folded or turned downwardly around the outside of neck 10a, in the manner indicated in FIG. 1.

Referring still particularly to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the ring 14 is received on the neck lda with the flange 14b extending inwardly below the bead 100. As there shown, the side wall 14a extends upwardly from the flange 14b. However, in order to complete the assembly, it is desirable to reverse ring 14.- in the manner indicated in FIG. 1, so that the side wall portion 14a will extend downwardly from the flange 14b. The reverse downwardly-extending position of ring 14- is illustrated in FIG. 2, which also shows the liner extension 11a turned downwardly around neck 10a and extending over the upper portion of ring 14- when the ring is in reversed condition. At this stage, the nipple 12 may be applied, that is, the skirt portion 14 is forced over the outside ofneck 10a with the liner extension 110 therebetween so that the skirt 13 presses the liner extension against the outside of the neck. FIG. 2 shows the assembly with the skirt 13 fully seated on the neck 113a, as the components would appear just prior to the final assembly step which is illustrated in FIG. 3.

The assembly is then completed, causing the ring 14 to move upwardly about skirt 13 until the condition shown in FIG. 3 is achieved. This can be done in various ways. One convenient way is to loosely encircle the portion 14a with a thumb and finger, and raise the ring upwardly while causing flange 14b to pivot about its inner end which is in engagement with the neck 16a just below the bead 100. In this way, the assembly can be made with one simple upward movement. Alternatively, ring 14 can be brought more gradually to the condition of FIG. 3 by grasping the portions of the side wall 14a with the fingers and working them up around skirt 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the liner upper portion 11a also provides an extension 11b which is turned upwardly around the outside of collar or skirt 13 during the assembly operation, as just described, and therefore is pressed against the outside of skirt 13 by ring wall 14a. Preferably, the ring wall 14a extends upwardly beyond the end of liner extension 11b so that a rubber-to-rubber seal is provided between the upper portion of wall 14a and the upper portion of skirt 13, such as the sealingly-engaged portions just inwardly of the reinforcing rib 140, which also assists in maintaining the desired seal. However, even if the liner extension 111) projects outwardly beyond the top of wall 14a at one or more points, or even entirely around the top of the wall, a substantially effective seal can be obtained. The double reversal of the liner upper portion around the neck 10a and the skirt 13, with both the skirt 13 and the ring 14 pressing against the liner extension, makes it extremely unlikely that any leakage can or will occur.

In use, the ring 14 may be left on the bottle 10 during washing and sterilization. Alternatively, the ring 14 can be removed and replaced as required. Since ring 14 does not come in contact with the formula or milk which is being fed to the baby, it is not essential that it be sterilized. The disposable liners, such as the liner 11, can be provided by the manufacturer in sterile condition, and when the nursing unit is used with such a liner, it will be unnecessary to sterilize the bottle 1d. If the liner is omitted, however, the bottle should be sterilized in the usual way.

Since the embodiment of FIG. is similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3, the same parts have been given the same numbers. Where the parts include a modified construction, the numbers have been primed. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the outside of the neck 16a provides a pair of vertically-spaced, outwardly-extending beads 143a." and s which define a circumferentially-extending recess 10g therebetween, which receives the ring flange 14b. This arrangement assists in maintaining the desired position of ring 14b both prior to and after completion of the assembly of the nursing unit as previously described with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3. As shown, the lower surface 193' of the annular bead 10d may incline upwardly and outwardly, and the upper surface of the flange 14b may be similarly inclined to mate therewith. The inclination of these members tends to facilitate lifting of the ring to the reverse of its fully assembled condition.

In FIG. 6, a further modification of the sealing and retaining ring is shown. The ring includes a cylindrical side Wall 101 and the inwardly-extending flange 192. The principal difference is that the rib at the upper end of the wall 161 is lengthened to provide an outwardlyextending annular flange 103, which can be readily grasped with the fingers. The flange 103 can therefore be used in pulling the top of wall 100 upwardly around the nipple-retaining collar.

Alternatively, the embodiment of FIG. 7 can be employed. The band 200 includes an inwardly-extending lower flange 202, but instead of an outwardly-extending upper flange, there is provided a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, outwardly-extending tabs 203. The tabs 203 can be grasped with the fingers and used to pull the upper portion of wall 201 into the correct position with respect to the nipple-retaining skirt or collar.

The liners for use in the nursing unit of this invention may be formed of any suitable flexible liquid-retaining material. Preferably, a thin flexible plastic film is employed, such as polyethylene film or Pliofilm. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the liner, such as the liner 11', may be formed of a tube of flexible plastic material having a closed bottom and an open top. This construction is essentially the same as that for the liner 11 previously described. As a convenience for the insertion of the liner, fold marking lines may be provided. In the illustration given, a fold marking line 17 is provided at a spaced distance from the top of the liner 11'. The purpose of the transversely-extending marking line 17 is to indicate the fold line between the upper portion 11a of the liner which is folded downwardly around the outside of the neck of the bottle.

Similarly, a transversely-extending fold marking line 18 can be provided on the lower portion of the liner to mark the division between the body of the liner and the lower end portion 11c, which is preferably folded upwardly prior to the insertion of the liner in the bottle.

The marking lines 17 and 18 may conveniently extend entirely around the liner wall, and may be printed on the outside of the liner wall. Fold marking lines may also be indicated in other ways.

The liner 11 or 11' is preferably transparent or translucent so that the quantity of liquid therein can be visually determined. For ease of assembly, the tubular liner, or at least the upper portion 11a or 11a, can conveniently have an internal diameter at least as great as or slightly greater than the external diameter of the collar 13. The cross-sectional shape of the liner 11 or 11' preferably corresponds generally to that of the bottle, while that of the upper portion corresponds with the collar 13. The side walls of the tubular liner can have folded portions, such as gussets, which expand or open, when the inserted liner is filled.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof and many details have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention is susceptible to other embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a nursing unit, the combination of:

(a) a rigid, liquid-retaining, reusable bottle having an open-topped neck;

(b) a disposable liner received within said bottle including said neck and having an open-ended upper portion turned downwardly around the outside of said neck;

said liner being formed of a tube of flexible plastic material having a closed bottom and an open p;

(c) a nipple-mounting collar received on the outside of said neck over said liner upper portion,

said liner upper portion also providing an extension turned upwardly around the outside of said collar; and (d) a ring formed of an elastic material received on the outside of said collar and pressing at least the end portion of said liner extension against said collar,

said ring providing an annular flange extending inwardly below said collar to engage the outside of said neck.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said ring is further characterized by being reversible on said neck to a position with said ring extending downwardly from said ring flange.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the outside of said neck provides a pair of vertically-spaced, outwardlyextending beads defining a circumferentially-extending recess therebetween which receives said ring flange.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said liner is provided with fold marking lines extending across the lower and upper portions thereof to respectively mark the bottom portion to be folded upwardly when inserting said liner in said bottle, and the top portion to be folded downwardly around the outside of said neck.

5. In a nursing unit, the combination of:

(a) a reusable bottle having an open-topped neck;

(b) a disposable liner received within said bottle ineluding said neck and having an open-ended upper portion turned downwardly around the outside of said neck;

(0) a nipple-mounting collar received on the outside of said neck over said liner upper portion,

said liner upper portion also providing an extension turned upwardly around the outside of said collar; and (d) an elastic ring received on the outside of said collar and pressing at least the end portion of said liner extension against said collar,

said ring having an upwardly-extending cylindrical side wall integrally connected at its lower end to an annular flange which extends inwardly to engage the outside of said neck below said collar, and said ring being reversible on said neck to a position with said ring side wall extending downwardly from said flange.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which the outside of said neck provides a pair of vertically-spaced, outwardly-extending beads defining a circumferentially-extending recess therebetween which receives said ring flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,485 1/1953 Boston 215-11 3,161,311 12/1964 Boston 215-11 3,204,855 9/1965 Boynton et al. 215-11 DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. IN A NURSING UNIT, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A RIGID, LIQUID-RETAINING, REUSABLE BOTTLE HAVING AN OPEN-TOPPED NECK; (B) A DISPOSABLE LINER RECEIVED WITHIN SAID BOTTLE INCLUDING SAID NECK AND HAVING AN OPEN-ENDED UPPER PORTION TURNED DOWNWARDLY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF SAID NECK; SAID LINER BEING FORMED OF A TUBE OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A CLOSED BOTTOM AND AN OPEN TOP; (C) A NIPPLE-MOUNTING COLLAR RECEIVED ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID NECK OVER SAID LINER UPPER PORTION, SAID LINER UPPER PORTION ALSO PROVIDING AN EXTENSION TURNED UPWARDLY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF SAID COLLAR; AND (D) A RING FORMED OF AN ELASTIC MATERIAL RECEIVED ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID COLLAR AND PRESSING AT LEAST THE END PORTION OF SAID LINER EXTENSION AGAINST SAID COLLAR, SAID RING PROVIDING AN ANNULAR FLANGE EXTENDING INWARDLY BELOW SAID COLLAR TO ENGAGE THE OUTSIDE OF SAID NECK. 